FateArcher Redux
by AaronTheLightbringer
Summary: The Grail is a wish granting device but it does not grant the winner's desires in a conventional way. Shirou knew he had to be wary. A wish granting device was too good to be true. However his doubts didn't prove true until he was sent back to the fourth Grail War, not as a Master but as a Servant. AU
1. The Summoning

**Summary: The Grail is a wish granting device but it does not grant the winner's device in a conventional way. Shirou knew he had to be wary. A wish granting device was too good to be true. However his doubts didn't prove true until he was sent back to the fourth Grail War, not as a Master but as a Servant.**

**A/N: Sup people! Here's my first Fate/Stay Night Fanfic. I had the Fate craze back in 2005 as a kid when the fate route got animated. I had decided not to watch Zero because Shirou wasn't in it. But then I had to watch it while waiting for ufotable's Unlimited Blade Works animation. It was mind-blowing. Then I thought – "What if Shirou was in the 4th War? How awesome would that be?" So here it is! Oh, and it might seem a little OOC but he has all the abilities of Counter Guardian EMIYA and/or UBW route Shirou. Bear with me please!**

**DISCLAIMER: Hear me ye lawyers of the courtroom, I formally decline ownership of any character of Nasuverse so thou hath no way to sue me!**

_I am the bone of my sword_

_Steel is my body, and fire is my blood._

_I have created over a thousand blades._

_Unknown to Death, nor known to Life._

_Have withstood pain to create many weapons._

_Yet, those hands will never hold anything._

_So as I pray, Unlimited Blade Works. _

* * *

**Chapter 1: **

Kirei was gone after a long struggle. Shirou's respect for Kiritsugu had tripled. He had lived almost five years with the black mass. All that had to be done was to destroy the cursed Grail. He went back to get Saber, who hopefully had defeated Gilgamesh. He was powerful but he had faith in Saber.

The scene he witnessed when he arrived was one which he had not expected. Saber was lying on the ground bleeding while Gilgamesh stood arrogantly a few feet from her.

"Ea cannot be defeated my dear. Your efforts have been in vain my Saber" he said with a smug grin on his face "From the start you had no chance of winning. You were foolish to think you could stand on equal footing with me!"

Shirou could feel his heart stop. He lost the feelings in his legs. His body instinctively moved towards the Saber's wounded body. Blood was gushing out like from a hole in a hose. He could hear a violent ringing in his ears.

"Embrace her body mongrel! I gave her a chance, a chance to be with someone worthy of her. She sided with a dog like you! Take your time and see the life leave her eyes. If I cannot have her then no one can!" Gilgamesh cried from across. Shirou collapsed onto his knees

"Saber… Saber….. Saber… SABER!" cried Shirou. He turned her body over and started to caress her cheek. Saber flinched and opened her eyes. He could see that it was taking almost all of her strength to even focus her eyes on him.

"haa… Shir-rou…..I tried…but… I'm sorry" she gasped. Shirou could see his vision darkening. The Angra Mainyu reacted to the torrent of negative emotions arising. He could hear a dark presence whisper in his mind.

**Hate… Kill… Despair… Sorrow… Anger…**

"Don't speak Saber. You'll be alright. Avalon will heal you. You will be fine. We have to go to the arcade again. I will buy you another stuffed lion. You have to eat dinner today. It's my turn to cook tonight. Don't close your eyes!" he cried. He could hear Gilgamesh snickering from a few meters away.

"It… was… fun" she replied slowly closing her eyes. Shirou felt the dark voice getting louder. He tried to tune it out but failed. He didn't notice the black mass slowly approach him getting attracted to the negative emotions he was emitting.

** HATE… KILL… DESPAIR… SORROW… ANGER…**

"What will you do now Master of Saber? Will you submit to me or will you suffer a fate like her? Decide and make haste. I do not like to be kept waiting"

**What do you desire? Is there something that drives you? Is there something you want? There is no harm in being greedy.**

**What does your heart yearn for?**

"I… I want Saber to live. I… want her to live" he whispered. Gilgamesh strained his ears. "What did you say? Speak louder." He asked. He knew he shouldn't listen to the dark voice but he couldn't help it. He was desperate. He could no longer reason with a clear mind.

**A wish doesn't come with its consequences. Are you ready to pay the price Shirou Emiya? The law of universal balance. To give her a life you must sacrifice your own. Are you ready to perform such a sacrifice?**

"I can do that. Take my life and give back her life!" he cried back. He could feel the sinister voice smile. Gilgamesh looked like he was out of patience. "Enough with your impertinence. You do not deserve Ea. My treasury is enough for the likes of you"

**Very well. Accept your fate for your wish. The girl will be revived. Pay the price in her stead. We will exact the amount to the second. **

Saber suddenly opened her eyes and sharply gasped. Shirou gave a sigh of relief. Gilgamesh froze in shock but regained his senses. It would take but some weapons to destroy the weakened Saber and the foolish excuse for a mage.

"Gate of Babylon!" he bellowed aiming to finish both of them off. Shirou's eyes widened and he shielded Saber, bracing for a painful impact. However, it didn't come. The black sludge had shielded them. Gilgamesh stumbled back. This was unexpected. The Grail was protecting him. But why?!

**You cannot die yet boy. You still have a debt to pay. A debt to the Grail cannot be forgiven so easily. Now let us claim our price. The price for saving that woman.**

Gilgamesh writhed in pain. He let out a bloodcurdling scream. Shirou stared at all of this in horror. He watched as Gilgamesh's body twisted, as if being crushed by an invisible hand. Black Sludge started gushing out of his eyes and ears and he violently shook until his limp body fell to the ground.

The sludge receded and started inching towards Shirou. It was coming for him, he knew it. There was no escaping it. He had to make sure it did nothing to Saber.

"Saber! Get up! Run! NOW!" he cried helping her up. Saber blinked before suddenly comprehending what he said. She obeyed, running away thinking Shirou would follow close behind her.

"Shirou? Shirou! "she cried noting his absence. She turned around and froze, horror overtaking her as Shirou stood in front of the sludge, as if he was planning to sacrifice himself.

"NO!"She cried as the sludge slowly crawled up his foot slowly. Shirou turned his head to have a last look at Saber. He smiled, not an empty one but a radiant smile. A smile that Kiritsugu gave him when he saved him. Saber could do nothing but watch as the sludge swallowed him whole.

**To make sure the girl survives we have to erase Gilgamesh's existence from the Heaven's Feel. Will you be ready to complete the void filled by his absence? Will you take responsibility for your desires or will try to escape? Answer us Shirou Emiya.**

He opened his eyes and tried to comprehend what had happened. The last he remembered was the black sludge swallowing him. A huge torrent of information flooded his brain. He winced at the headache that followed. There were three men standing in front of him, clearly taken aback by his appearance. It seems they were expecting someone else. He pieced together the information that was rattling all his grey matter.

"I ask you" he said to the man who wore a red suit, similar to the lines a certain Servant said when she first met him "Are you my Master?"

"Who…. are you?" the man asked showing the command seals on his hands as proof. Shirou sighed. This was what the Grail meant by filling the void.

"Your servant Archer has come in response to your summons." He answered. This was not going to be an easy ordeal. Saber had told him that the fourth war was not an easy one.

* * *

Tohsaka Tokiomi was confident of success. He had sent many excavation teams to bring back fragments of artifacts that had even slight ties to the infamous 'Oldest King'. The artifact they had brought was one that had very strong connections to the King of Heroes. The first snake skin that was ever shed.

If Gilgamesh was successfully summoned their chances of winning the Grail would rise drastically rise. Risei and Kirei both stood expectantly as he started performing the summoning ceremony.

"Fill, fill, fill, fill, and fill! Repeat five times. But destroy each when filled. A foundation of stone and the Archduke of Contracts. And my ancestor, my great master Schweinorg. A wall to the block of falling wind. The gates of all four directions close. From the crown, come forth and follow the forked road to the Kingdom. I hereby propose – My will shall create thy body, and thy sword shall create my fate. Abiding by the summons of the Holy Grail, if thou dost accede to this will and reason, answer me! Thou clad with the Great Trinity, come forth and form the circle of constraint. Guardian of Heavenly Scales!"

A bright light filled the room. He shut his eyes, fully expecting a golden haired youth to answer his summons. What surprised him was that in place of the regal king, there was a red headed youth dressed in a pant and coat (A/n: Just imagine Shirou in his UBW anime attire). The teenager didn't look like a heroic spirit. The clothes he were dressed in were also from the present time.

The redhead clutched his head in pain. It seems he was now aware of his surroundings. Tokiomi's tried to figure what went wrong with his summoning. The records said Gilgamesh was golden haired. Could they have been wrong? If not, did he make any mistake in his summoning? What heroic spirit was he if not Gilgamesh? Their whole plans hinged on Gilgamesh's ultimate abilities.

"I ask you" the teen said finally "Are you my Master?" Tokiomi raised his hand and showed him the command seals on his hand, not knowing what else to do.

"Who… are you?" he asked warily. The servant gave a big sigh and bowed a little. "Your servant Archer has come in response to your summons" he answered. That did not answer his question.

"Are you not Gilgamesh?" asked Kirei in sincere curiosity. He had never seen his Mentor so surprised before. The servant turned towards him. His golden brown eyes seemed to be soul penetrating. The servant's gaze on him lingered a second more than he liked. He felt him scrutinizing him.

"I am… the Wrought Iron Hero" he answered. The name seemed unfamiliar to all three present in the room. Tokiomi took a chair and sat down. He was weighing the outcome of summoning the unknown servant.

"Come Kirei, we have a lot of strategizing to do. This unexpected turn of events will not serve us well. Thank You Risei for supervising my summoning. Register me as a Master with an Archer class Servant." He said showing the way out to his old acquaintance and commanding his Disciple to follow him. The fourth Holy Grail War was sure to be full of chaos.

* * *

**A/N: There it is then! The first Chapter of Fate/Archer Redux. Hopefully it'll turn out to be ok. I wanted to place Shirou in the Fourth Grail War as a Servant and not as a Master. I couldn't fit him in any class but Archer, therefore the tiring and boring demise of Gilgamesh and the fate route mixture. Forgive me for the inconvenience! Anyways, please try to ignore any minor grammatical mistakes. If you find any that bother you then PM me the list and I will try to rectify them. Updates might be on the slow side so do bear with me. Also, the disclaimer might be implied from the second Chapter onwards, but it'll be included if I pointlessly want to increase the word count. Do read &amp; review. A hearty thanks once again!**

**-AaronTheLightBringer**


	2. Tokiomi's Nightmare

**Summary: The Grail is a wish granting device but it does not grant the winner's device in a conventional way. Shirou knew he had to be wary. A wish granting device was too good to be true. However his doubts didn't prove true until he was sent back to the fourth Grail War, not as a Master but as a Servant.**

**DISCLAIMER: Hear me ye lawyers of the courtroom. I formally decline ownership of any character of Nasuverse so thou hath no way to sue me!**

**A/N: Happy New Year guys! Frankly speaking, I am overwhelmed with the response. I had just uploaded the story in the afternoon. I wasn't expecting any response at all, but I was surprised to see that I had 24 emails, all about F/AR by the night. Thank you so much for the response! And now to answer some questions**

**Mirakura – I had planned to reveal a little in the near future. Till then just assume she went wrong with the timing. That led to her demise**

**Neverending000 – I might have to make him a little OOC but he will still have very strong feelings for Saber. Being made a Servant changes you.**

**Gashadokuro Amanojaku – He is just accepting the call for this time. To ensure Saber was alive Angra Mainyu had to erase Gilgamesh from the 5****th**** War. Since he was the survivor of the 4****th****, He just erased Gilgamesh's presence from the 4****th****. To fill the gap caused, Shirou had to take his place.**

**hypermegasonic26 – Thanks for the insightful guidelines. However I had imagined some things a little different. I will take note from some of the points you gave. Those were a great help. The presence of Shirou in the war changed both him and the events in the timeline.**

**HamJabroni Inc – I am grateful for your frank opinion. I will try my best to justify myself. Not everybody can become a heroic spirit. Shirou has the capability as shown in form of EMIYA. The Grail has supplied him with memories (only some) of EMIYA to help him reach the level of a heroic spirit. As far as I know in fate route there was a slight emphasis on his Gradation Air abilities while UBW expanded on it. Both had been based on his Gradation Air. Compared to that, Heavens Feel introduced a new set of abilities. Therefore I chose to supply him with the UBW abilities too. Shirou's Reality Marble will still have far less blades than EMIYA's. I can't make Shirou a servant with only the ability to trace Caliburn. He has to fill Gilgamesh's Shoes. The three knight classes are generally the most powerful. I'll try to make sure he doesn't seem overpowerful. I hope that cleared your doubts**

**Just a warning, Shirou will have the odd tendency to talk with EMIYA in his mind. It might seem strange but I will explain it later. Try not to let that change your opinions. On with the Story then!**

_A king without greed is even worse than a figurehead!_

_A king must be greedier, laugh louder, and be more furious than everyone else_

_He must exemplify the extreme of all things, including good and evil_

_That is exactly why his subjects adore and envy him_

_And why the flame of wanting to be the king can burn in the heart of every civilian_

* * *

**Chapter 2: **

"I ask you" he said to the man who wore a red suit, similar to the lines a certain Servant said when she first met him "Are you my Master?"

"Who…. are you?" the man asked showing the command seals on his hands as proof. Shirou sighed. This was what the Grail meant by filling the void.

"Your servant Archer has come in response to your summons." He answered. This was not going to be an easy ordeal. Saber had told him that the fourth war was not an easy one.

The man in red did not look satisfied with the answer. He must have meant for a more particular answer to that question. The man next to his Master suddenly spoke. He recognized him. There was no doubt about it. Standing right in front of him again was Kotomine Kirei himself, in the flesh and blood.

Rage overcame him. The cursed priest had killed many. Each second he looked at his face he remembered the room below the church. He could still hear the cries of the deformed bodies of the survivors of the fire. But he couldn't risk acting in haste. Kirei seemed to be allied with his Master. If his Master used a Command Seal to prevent him from attacking Kirei, all would be over. He would keep a vigilant eye on him.

Kirei seemed to notice his hostility as his face slightly twitched into discomfort. Shirou finally decided to answer the question that he posed. But what could he say? Which hero would he say he was? He couldn't give out his own name.

"I am… " he began "the Wrought Iron Hero" he said in sync with a voice in his head that strangely sounded like Archer. That still wasn't an answer to their question. It seems they didn't recognize anyone with a name similar to that. The man in red took a chair and sat down. It seems he was contemplating something. After a few moments he turned towards Kirei

"Come Kirei, we have a lot of strategizing to do. This unexpected turn of events will not serve us well" he said. Then turning towards the oldest of the three he continued "Thank You Risei for supervising my summoning. Register me as a Master with an Archer class Servant." He showed the man out and came back.

"Wait for me in the basement. I will come after talking with _him._" He said. Kirei gave a bow and exited the room. Finally he turned towards him.

"Sorry for my rudeness earlier. I am Tohsaka Tokiomi, a mage of the Tohsaka lineage. If any disrespect to you was caused by my behavior earlier please forgive me" He said giving a deep bow. Tokiomi tried to be cautious. If using the Snake Skin had summoned this hero then he must be related to the King of Heroes. He must possess the same arrogance that the king was famous for. If he didn't treat him with respect, the Independent Action Skill might come to bite him in the ass.

"Not at all. It seems that you were expecting someone else. I am not offended in the slightest" Shirou replied. Tokiomi seemed surprised. It seems he had expected him to be as arrogant as Gilgamesh. This man shared his name with Rin. It was highly probable that he was related to her. After all, as far as he knew, there were not that many Tohsakas.

"If you do not mind me asking you what are your abilities? Knowing them may be helpful to my plans" he asked. Shirou sighed. He contemplated on revealing the nature of his reality marble. He couldn't trust this man so fast even if he was related to Rin.

"I have nothing special other than the skills of the general Archer Class. All my Noble Phantasm does is shooting powerful arrows. I have an extended range as compared to the general range of Archer class Servant." He said. Not all that he said was untrue. He just supplied half-truths. Hopeful Tokiomi believed him. Rin always told him that he was a bad liar.

"Ah well. I think I can figure out ways to put good use to your abilities. Thank you for telling me. I will take my leave now." Tokiomi replied. He knew that Archer was hiding something from him. This wasn't the opportune moment to press on. He had to collect data on the rest of the Servants and he had an inkling on how to.

"Just a minute Tokiomi-san. I can call you that, can't I?" Tokiomi nodded. "I want to know something. What is your objective? What do you desire from the Holy Grail?" Tokiomi turned back to face him.

"The Grail is the path to Akasha and not petty things like domination and power. That is what it was originally summoned for by the union of Einzbern, Makiri and Tohsaka families. I too want to achieve the path to Akasha. That is what any mage desires." he replied excitedly.

"I see. You wish to unravel the secrets of True Magic. That is a good goal indeed. However you may find that the Grail is not what you think it is" he replied. Tokiomi's face contorted in confusion.

"What do you desire Archer? Even the servant must have a wish from the Grail. What is your objective?" Tokiomi counter questioned. Shirou turned around to face the window.

"I want nothing to do with anything that powerful. I just want to make sure that it doesn't fall into the wrong hands." He replied opening the window. "I will guard the perimeter. The link between us has properly been established. Call on me if you require anything." Tokiomi watched as Shirou changed into spirit form and drifted out the window. This Servant knew more than he was letting on. He still couldn't figure out what to make of him. But that could wait. He had an idea on how to gather Intel on the other Servants. It had to be placed into action

* * *

Shirou sat down on the roof of the tallest tower of the mansion. He still had to get his head around all that happened. It still felt like all this was a dream and he would wake up any minute. Part of him still denied the reality.

_'Heh! Still an imbecile I see. Your excessive stupidity hurts my head! Idiot! You should learn to accept what has happened. Running away from reality will only hinder you.' _replied EMIYA's voice in his head. He knew that it wasn't really EMIYA. It was just his mind trying to uphold his sanity. With the situation he was in, even the red Archer's help sounded tempting_._

'_You aren't a Master anymore. You don't call the shots. You have become one of us, a tool for the disadvantaged. A so called "guardian" who fights the battles of others' _he continued.

Shirou sighed. He had no control over what the next course of action would be. Was this how all the Servants felt? So powerful yet so powerless.

_'As a Master you had power. You chose not to kill, but as a Servant you have to kill. You have to fight to death with other Servants and come up on the top. Do you have what it takes to take a life without a second thought? This is what your foolish ideals have led you to.'_

Shirou slammed his fist on the tiles of the roof. "I know! I know I have to kill! I know I have no control! I know the situation I am in! You don't need to tell me that! I know! I know! I KNOW!" he cried. He sighed and tried to relax. He felt the tension leaving the shoulders. The outcry seemed to have helped him calm down.

_'You seem to have understood. There is only one thing I must ask you. Do you regret the path your foolish ideals have led you to?'_

"No" he replied calmly "Even if I had a million chances to redo this, I would save Saber each time. No matter how far into the darkness these choices will lead me, I will not regret any of them. To regret these choices means betraying the feelings and ideals behind them."

_'Heh! Thickheaded as ever I see. This inner rant can take place later. It looks like someone is trying to enter the estate' _Shirou got up to his feet and traced Archer's bow. He drew the string back and gave a practice release. The bow seemed perfect in his hands, like it was made for him. Now to deal with the intruder.

* * *

Kirei looked down at the town from the hill he was on. The town was soon going to be a battlefield for a wish granting chalice. All the servants have been summoned. It was time to take action

"The church has informed me that the seventh Servant, Caster, has appeared." He told nobody.

"The final Servant has been summoned? Then it is time is it not?" replied a black clothed figure suddenly appearing behind him from nowhere

"Indeed it is. You are to head immediately for the Tohsaka household." He replied, his eyes unfocused.

"And when I arrive?" asked Assassin walking up to the railing on the edge of the hill.

"The house's powerful magical field should be child's play to you." He replied with confidence. Assassin laughed, getting at what his Master was silently implying.

"Are you sure? I believe that you're supposed to be allied with Tohsaka Tokiomi." He asked trying to confirm his Master's intentions.

"Don't worry about that. Even if you end up having to fight Archer, there is no need to fear." Kirei said walking away

"Hm?"Assassin said diving off the railing "No need to fear Archer, one of the three great Knight classes?" he finished, disappearing from sight and weaving through the trees.

"I'm counting on you." Kirei said watching Assassin disappear into the forest. "Your first mission is to slay Tohsaka Tokiomi"

Assassin swiftly weaved through the forest and jumped over the gate of the estate taking some soil and pebbles into his dominant hand. He quickly shot and disabled the barrier around the entrance, shattering all the prana filled jewels as he advanced.

Silently landing on his feet he shot forward and jumped into the hedges. From there he surveyed the area and located the jewel that powered the main barrier. Slowly walking towards it, he let a few pebbles at it to make it reveal the layers of barriers guarding it. He maneuvered over all the barriers skillfully, twisting his body into unbelievable positions and showing a flexibility that no normal human can possess.

"This is too easy" he remarked smirking as he extended his hand towards the main jewel. He had placed his hand on it, ready to break it into pieces when a sharp cutting sound filled the air and numerous red arrows pierced the hand he had on it. Assassin writhed in pain. The arrow had literally destroyed his hand rendering it unusable. He couldn't move it anymore.

"Your actions show that you want to harm my Master. That makes you an enemy. Against an enemy I shall have no mercy" said a redheaded teenager wielded a black bow from the railing of the balcony. His eyes reflected his unwillingness to kill for a second. They changed back into an unreadable state.

"I'm sorry, but this is the end. I will make your death painful. You have no chance of survival" he said as a red lance with various vein like designs all over it materialized into his hand. He held the lance like an arrow as he drew the bow. The lance compressed and formed a twisted structure similar to an arrow.

"GAE-" he cried drawing the arrow with his full strength "-BOLG!" Assassin faced the arrow in horror, he couldn't move his body.

"He said… I didn't need to fear… him?" he gasped as the arrow had pierced his heart. The servant turned to silver dust and disintegrated a few moments later. Shirou retreated back onto the roof. Projecting Gaebolg had taken more out of him than he imagined. "Trace off" he muttered. All the arrows scattered in the field disappeared as Gaia claimed them.

Tokiomi had watched all this happen from his window. To say he was shocked was an understatement. His Servant had just used Gaebolg, a noble phantasm that Ireland's Child of Light should possess. He also had mentioned he was not Gilgamesh. The more he was getting to know, the less he began to understand.

* * *

A hellfire. That was all that could be seen everywhere. He watched as the younger version of his Servant walked through the razed burning remains of what were houses. He watched as countless parents tried to save their children, only to be crushed by debris or burned by the flames. He watched as lovers tried to save each other but failed, wasting their life trying to save people. The boy kept walking as if he was in a trance. He knew the boy noticed all that was happening around him, but he still kept walking. Everyone that tried to save someone died, it was all for themselves. Survival. That was all that seemed to be on the boy's mind. Many people extended their hands towards him from under debris, asking him to help them but the boy kept walking.

The fire was not ending, it grew stronger every second. It didn't die down, for in the center of all of this was the Holy Grail? Tokiomi woke up with a jolt. He breathed raggedly trying to calm himself. His forehead and body was covered in sweat. His Servant had seen the Grail before. The Grail had caused him great anguish. Nothing made sense. Everything he knew just served to confuse him further. Just who was the 4th war's Archer?

* * *

**A/N: And that is chapter 2. There was more nonsense in this than the first chapter and a little more borrowed from Zero. I can't wait to write the next chapter but sadly Christmas holidays are over and I have to get back to college. This does not mean I am abandoning the story. It just means that it'll take two weeks or more to make time for each chapter. But another response like that might encourage me to work on chapter 3 earlier than planned. I put the disclaimer again. You see 3k was far more satisfying to see than 2.9k. Do Read &amp; Review. Once again you can PM me your thoughts on it if you want to. A hearty thanks and farewell folks**

**-AaronTheLightBringer**


	3. Imperfect Projection

**A/N: Yo peeps! Ugh God! Never saying peeps again. That sounds so bad. Sorry for the late update. I am not going to present any excuses. I am very overjoyed with the response that I received with FateArcher. Frankly I thought it would fizzle out like it did with 'Thy Chains of Fate'. To my dear sister who said I'm not gonna go past 6k words with this. I hereby claim my rights to finish this month's download limit all by myself. I have found many people asking me the same question - Why did Shirou use Gaebolg on assassin? Any Noble Phantasm would have done it. Heck normal arrows would have done the job. I found Gaebolg to be one of the most well-known Noble Phantasm. I needed to incorporate a Noble Phantasm to develop the characters in this chapter. Mainly it is to establish a power difference. I understand that this is merely the third time that Shirou (Fate) is using projection magic. I need to establish the limits of his current capability.**

**Note: Gaebolg is a B+ ranked Noble Phantasm (For those who don't know). When EMIYA projects it, it degrades a rank and falls to B-C+. Upon using as a Broken Phantasm, it remains a B+ ranked Phantasm**

"_However, kid, if you really are his loyal subject, you have a duty to avenge your fallen king"_

"_If I challenge you, I will die"_

"_Of course"_

"_I can't do that. I was ordered to live on"_

"_Your loyalty is splendid. Never tarnish it."_

* * *

Chapter 3:

His arms felt heavy and burnt like hell. He felt pain, immense and unbearable pain. It felt as if someone was slowly pushing a searing hot, blunt knife into his spinal cord. He bit his lip to prevent himself from crying out in pain. A small drop of blood trickled from his lip.

He could withstand the pain. He had been through worse. What he couldn't bear was the onslaught of memories that coupled with the pain. He fell to his knees, head throbbing at an alarming rate. These memories, the feelings that come with them were not his. The pain, the anguish, the sorrow and the animalistic bloodlust seemed very foreign. They were something that he was not supposed to feel. His body rejected all the memories but his mind couldn't. He wanted to stop feeling them but he couldn't. Why couldn't he stop them? Why was he feeling them? Why? Why? Why? Why?!

* * *

"Nothing!" cried Tokiomi tossing the book into the pile that accumulated beside him. This was the 13th book that bore his frustration. Tohsaka Tokiomi was generally a very calm and shrewd man. There was not much that could irritate him. Some people would say he had an infinite tolerance for most things. But, if there was one thing that irritated Tokiomi it was not knowing about something i.e. the lack of information. You could say it was an extreme case of curiosity.

The lack of information on his Servant had disturbed him quite greatly. He knew next to nothing about him. The Servant had given his name but there was nothing about a Hero named 'Wrought Iron Hero'. He even tried to cross reference Gaebolg with the name but he had found nothing. The books he had referred had claimed that there were at most three formal owners of Gaebolg. The first being the one he intended to summon, Gilgamesh and the second Scáthach who passed it on to the spear-man who represented GaeBolg, Cú Chulainn. But there was no mention of a teenager being able to wield the legendary spear.

The most puzzling part was the dream that he had. To think the hero had crossed such a hurdle when he was so young. But then, the tales of heroes were riddled with such sorrow. They were all shaped in the crucible of fire and struggle. That still didn't explain the grail being there. Who was he?

* * *

_"You have earned the right to this spear. Take care of it for me" she said handing it to the blue haired warrior. "I am proud of you Cú Chulainn. You have pleased me greatly. What I would not give to die by your hands"_

_ The blue haired warrior stayed silent. He felt he had to let his teacher say what she wanted to say. Her eyes revealed the loneliness and sorrow that her soul held. She had desired but one thing which was now impossible to achieve. _

_ "If only you were born a little earlier... Young, still young... Sorry. Somehow, it seems I got sidetracked a lot." The sorrow in her eyes had vanished and was replaced by the icy exterior that she generally had._

_ It was the first time that Cú Chulainn had felt weak and helpless. He couldn't grant the one thing that his teacher had desired – death._

…

_ "Why do you hesitate?! Do you perceive me to be weak or is it emotions that stop you from fighting? Remember what you told me? You told me you would serve your Lord with your all. I too have come with the same purpose. I too have come to serve my Lord. Our friendship is nothing compared to the honor of our Lords. Then why do you still hesitate?!"_

_This was a battlefield, there was no time for hesitation. If he hesitated, it would insult the souls of the brave group of Red Branch Knights that defended him when he was fatigued. He must not hesitate no matter who his opponent was. He took a deep breath. His opponent noticed the animalistic look coming back to his eyes._

_ "I'm sorry Ferdiad. I was foolish to hesitate against you. It was an insult to both you and my dead comrades. I will come at you with all my strength. Be ready." He said. The opponent smiled. This was just like the old days except this time both of them had much more on stake._

_ After countless clashes in which neither of them proved victorious. Cú Chulainn was cornered. It was all or nothing. He had to stake all that he represented in one strike. He steeled himself and charged. "Gae- !" he cried pulling his arms back as far as he could "Bolg!" he completed as the curse of the spear activated and the tip proceeded to reverse cause and effect._

_ As soon as Ferdiad fell back Cú Chulainn dashed towards him. There was no denying it, he had killed his best friend. He picked up the body and gently caressed his cheek. Tears were on the verge of spilling from his eyes. Ferdiad coughed and smiled as he looked at Cú Chulainn from his strained eyes_

_"Gáe Bolg is a glory given to only the most gifted of warriors. In that brilliant hall of learning, you were our pride. I am proud to be your friend and even prouder to have fallen in battle by your hands. So do not shed tears Setànta." He said before slowly closing his eyes. All that remained in his hands was the lifeless body of his best friend, one who he had considered a brother. He let out a howl of sorrow which echoed across the battlefield._

"_I will honor your last wish dear Ferdiad. I will not shed even a tear. Forgive me for leaving you here but I have a battle to fight."he said getting up with a blank look. Cú Chulainn proceeded to slay enemies on the battlefield to hide the sorrow. He hit the opposing forces like a storm. Everyone sung praises, speaking of the valor and the fierceness he had displayed._

…

_This young boy deserved his praise. He was standing toe to toe with a warrior reputed to have never lost a fight. The boy had endless potential however he had made a single mistake. He tried to stir trouble in the wrong Kingdom._

"_You are very strong boy. I give you that. However I have far more experience than you. I have seen and fought battles before you even birthed in this world. This will sadly be your last." He said adopting the stance in which the curse was to be activated._

_The boy seemed surprised as the sudden twisting and turning spear point hit his heart. With a heavy thud the boy's body fell down. The boy coughed a little blood that lodged in his throat._

"_You deserve my praise child. Tell me your name, I will remember and spread the story of your valor and abilities."_

"_Haha… She didn't teach me that" he said struggling to bring words out of his mouth. "I am called… Connla" he said. Another cough and he spurted more blood out._

_Cú Chulainn fell to his knees. Gaebolg clattered as it fell to the ground. Weakly he crawled towards the body of the boy that he himself had felled._

"_Connla… Connla! What have I done?! What have I done!" he cried holding the body to his chest. The boy gave a weak laugh as he spoke his last words._

"_You are just as she said you would be. Fierce as a lion but kind as can be." Both his loved ones had died by his hands, both of them smiled as they passed on and both of them left him with a hollow feeling in his chest._

…

_The world looked blurry yet he refused to give up. He could not be seen as a weak person. He refused to tarnish his Lord's reputation. Salvaging all the strength that remained in his body he pushed himself up and tied himself to the pole nearby with cloth that he tore off his own body. He looked towards the sun from off the coast as it disappeared from the horizon. His eyes showed no sign of defeat. Even in the last moments of his life he would not show weakness. _

_He spotted an otter drinking the blood from the river. This sight brought laughter to his lips. During his last moments he laughed at the greediness it displayed. A crow landed on his shoulder. He slowly petted the bird._

"_Cathbad, you were right. It seems I will be facing an early demise. Yet, maybe I have not performed as many valorous deeds. Though I do not regret this life of mine." he said. Thus Cú Chulainn met his demise refusing to die without honor._

**Thus is the tale of my lord. Thus are the memories our bond shared. Thus is my curse. My real curse is not to reverse the cause and effect but to provide unreal strength in exchange for sorrow. For using me, you will cut down more loved ones than enemies.**

* * *

'_You fool! How could you let GaeBolg influence you? When you project, you become one with the weapon. While tracing the experience of a weapon, its memories will try to overwhelm you but you must not let it! Fight the memories! Block them off' the Archer in his head cried._

Shirou winced in pain. He tried shutting down the memories, but they were too intense and powerful. The pain was still not stopping. The memories kept assaulting him. He activated the trigger that shut all his magic circuits down.

"Trace off" he managed to mouth amidst all the pain. Like it never existed before, the pain vanished. The memories that were assaulting him also vanished. He panted, forcing as much oxygen he could manage into his lungs.

'_Your projection was weak! It was barely a D+ ranked phantasm. You still have not mastered it. Not to mention getting overwhelmed. Still as weak as ever' the Archer chided letting a little venom into his voice._

'I know! The war has started. I cannot afford to be this weak! I have to be stronger. I have to make sure the grail doesn't fall into the wrong hands. I have to make sure I destroy it.' He replied. He felt helpless and weak. But this was no time to be weak. He had to practice his projection for future battles. He had to become strong. He had to become the Red Knight.

* * *

**A/N: Thus another chapter is finished! Frankly, I am not satisfied with this one. You might wanna look up Cú Chulainn in the type moon wikia to understand the memories. I am very grateful to the readers who have deicde to support me. I am sorry to say I won't be able to give you a concrete update date and will try my best to do it as fast as I can. Thank You once again for reading and please leave a review after you finish. I would really like to hear your views. Oh, I have not read Heaven's Feel and Hollow/Ataraxia yet so I would appreciate it if you don't accidentally give spoilers in the review and PMs. Ja ne!**


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